March 20, 2004

Box Score

Clearwater, FL - The sixth-ranked Johns Hopkins baseball team concluded its Florida trip with a 17-4 win over No. 24 Wheaton (MA) Saturday morning at Jack Russell Stadium.

The Blue Jays, who improved to 13-0 this season, exploded for five runs in the top of the first inning. Seniors Tim Casale (West Hempstead, NY/Chaminade), senior Rob Morrison (Malibu, CA/Loyola) and Craig Cetta (Randolph, NJ/Randolph) each singled to load the bases with no outs, and junior Mike Durgala (Annandale, VA/Thomas Jefferson) walked to plate Casale with the game's first run.

Junior Mike Spiciarich (Syosset, NY/Chaminade) followed with a single to score Morrison, and junior Paul Winterling (Glenelg, MD/McDonogh) then cleared the bases with a three-run double to give Hopkins the early five-run lead.

Casale started the second with another single, and Morrison followed with his second single of the game. Cetta then grounded into a fielder's choice, but Durgala drilled a three-run home run to put the Blue Jays up 8-0. Spiciarich followed with a walk to knock Wheaton starter Bryan Duplissie out of the game, and after Spiciarich stole second, he scored on a double by Winterling.

The Lyons answered with four runs off of Hopkins junior Ryan McConnell (Lancaster, PA/Penn Manor) in the bottom of the third, but Hopkins got two back in the top of the fourth.

Durgala opened the frame with a single, and after he stole second, Durgala advanced to third on a single by Spiciarich. Winterling then hit a sacrifice fly to score Durgala, and after Spiciarich stole second, sophomore Corey Gleason (Binghamton, NY/Binghamton) plated Spiciarich with a single to make it an 11-4 game.

Hopkins loaded the bases with no outs in the fifth when Morrison singled, Cetta walked and Durgala singled. Spiciarich then singled to score Morrison, and Winterling followed with a walk to plate Cetta. Gleason and senior Brian Morley (Tappan, NY/Don Bosco Prep) each followed with run-scoring sacrifice flies, and after senior Doug Hitchner (Haverford, PA/Episcopal Academy) singled, Casale singled to bring Winterling home.

The Blue Jays tacked on a final run in the sixth when Durgala doubled and scored on a double by Winterling.

Meanwhile, JHU senior Matt Righter (Clarion, PA/Lawrenceville Prep) pitched three scoreless innings from the fourth through the sixth, allowing one hit while striking out one. Senior Sven Stafford (Evanston, IL/Evanston) picked up his fourth save of the year after shutting out Wheaton on one hit with two strikeouts in the seventh through ninth innings.

McConnell picked up the win to improve to 3-0 after allowing four runs on seven hits while striking out three in three innings of work.

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